Just visited that area just a few months ago. I was permitted to fly my drone over Goosenecks which was totally awesome. Have some good pictures from Monument Valley as well. Would love to get sunrise and sunsets there but they close the drive pretty early. Amazing photos you have taken.

Before you jump in your car be aware that much of the Gorge locations mentioned here burned up in the massive wildfires of late summer of 2017 and are closed to public access, some for several years at best… Oregon is still beautiful and there is an endless supply of places to shoot but don’t come expecting to see what this out of date article describes

I love filters but cameras are getting more and more capable of achieving similar results. Like OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1 MKII with the “Live Composing” feature. It’s not the same as a long time exposure, but quite similar. Still… I will most likely buy a pro square filter system soon ;-D

I completed a series of shots at different times of the day featuring Picture Lake located in Washington State. I would like to know if you would be interested in publishing my work and story featuring this project which contains approximately 4 shots and a write up detailing this photoshoot…

Hello Patrick
We are open to all suggestions on articles. All you need to do is follow the instructions on this page and upload your article. We will then forward it to the editorial team and if approved, they will let you know.

Dear Friends,
I am a member of LPM and am trying to download the free books ‘Yellowstone in Winter’ and two others.
I am not using a pop-up blocker. Your page says ‘Click the Download Button below’ but there is no download button !
Can you help me please?

I’ve had this same disagreement with other local photographers… To the point where I will no longer judge contests. Originality HAS to be part of the judging criteria IMO, or you end up with Bird on a stick winning Wildlife and Antelope Canyon winning landscape.

I am not really a Landscape Artist, but do appreciate any and all inspiration, knowledge, and skills. I am self taught, and pick up on all sorts of published articles. Looking to move up to better equipment (Wide Angle Lens) in the near future. Best wishes over the Holidays. Sincerely James.

Having been a professional printer (photographic) for many years at an in-house ad dept, we weren’t printing beautiful landscapes just product photography images, I can say I agree “…a certain qualities to a [great] print…” Of course I printed my own work as well, almost exclusively from 4×5 negs. When you had good image, composition / exposure, etc. and then began to work on your print, laying out your plan to burn / dodge / develop / and possibly tone, and finally make test prints and then your final image, it was magical.

Today everything from image capture, post (Photoshop, etc.), and printing is truly amazing. All those years ago now, who would have ever thought we’d have the incredible tools we now have? But there is a magic and depth to printing from a negative in a “wet” darkroom.

Having been a professional printer (photographic) for many years at an in-house ad dept, we weren’t printing beautiful landscapes just product photography images, I can say I agree “…a certain qualities to a [great] print…” Of course I printed my own work as well, almost exclusively from 4×5 negs. When you had good image, composition / exposure, etc. and then began to work on your print, laying out your plan to burn / dodge / develop / and possibly tone, and finally make test prints and then your final image, it was magical.

Today everything from image capture, post (Photoshop, etc.), and printing is truly amazing. All those years ago now, who would have ever thought we’d have the incredible tools we now have? But there is a magic and depth to printing from a negative in a “wet” darkroom.

I think the article is flawed at the fundamental level. Comparing photography to music is ludicrous. Musicians credit the composers because they are totally different entities in the presentation. You cannot compare one photographer to the composer of music and the other photographer to the musician playing the composition. Instead let’s compare two musicians playing the same piece. In reality musicians rarely credit other musicians for the piece they perform. They may mention on occasion being inspired by someone’s style, but they are not out to copy someone’s performance. I think the same is true of photographers photographing the same landscape. Just as thousands of musicians may play the same music, thousands of photographers may shoot on the same spot at the same time of day over a period of decades. It’s foolish to think of crediting all those that preceded them or any one person who may have taken a specific image.

One thing I would add to the list is snacks or something to eat. I hiked the narrows in Zion and was only worried about what camera gear to take or leave. I usually pack some kind of meal bar or granola bars but that day it slipped my mind. 4 hours later I was needing them calories.

I hiked this trail solo in 1975 with a silk cargo parachute as my tent. not a lot of places to run and hide with all the grizzlies that roam this valley. No cell phones back then, no bear spray and no gun for protection.

Wonderful Marco,
Your images really capture the essence of Ireland and your passion for this Celtic land is evident to see in your work.
The Foveon sensor and it’s unique look and feel gives your images a distinct style which is hard to replicate but to me pleasing to the eye.
A great article to read too where your knowledge of the locations really shine through.

Cool read,I’m a newbie to photography but already producing some cool images.im not afraid to take on the world with my images.then if it’s about art then it’s about images.i have nothing against people who can photoshop their way to an image. Me I just like capturing unique moments.im content with my work an where it’s going but I also like to eat lol.

Delighted to receive this free book. Like many other landscape photographers, Ansel Adams is a hero and to receive a book of the largest collection of his photographs ever published is something special. Thank you!

I learnt almost everything I know about landscape photography on a Sigma 10-20 and a 20D. She was a cruel mistress at 16mm equivalent on my 20D, but they were the most fun years. Full frame now with the 17-40 L and I’m not sure I have the same enthusiasm or confidence with it.

I trialled the GFX 50s this w/e for landscape photography. Manually focusing to get sharpness from as close to me to iffinity I found most difficult due to the lack of focus distance scale. Focusing required contrast using the dot indicator ( I used red) to illuminate when where the scene was in focus. Vasily mentions focusing using hyperfocal focusing. Where did you get this chart from please???
Having used a D810 with Nikon lenses 16-35 14-34 I can set the distance to focus accurately.

I was eventually able to reset my password. I went straight back to login and the password I entered failed. I entered it again being very careful to make sure it was right and now I’m blacklisted because apparently it wasn’t.

I’d like a refund on my membership please as I don’t see the point in paying for something I’m not able to use.

ELIOT PORTER has been my virtual mentor-of-note, since my teen years in the early 1970’s, when I ‘discovered’ his first Sierra Club-published exhibit format photo book “In Wildness Is The Preservation Of The World” inspired by, and featuring some of the natural history journal writings of Henry David Thoreau, paired with Porter’s large format photography. Porter came to Oklahoma City back in the ’80s for an exhibition of his “Images Of The West,” at (as it was known then) The National Cowboy Hall Of Fame, where, for a $5 ticket, I got to hear him lecture, ask him a question, and autograph my (soft-bound) copy of his book, which he was a bit reluctant and chagrinned to do, because he considered the imagery in the paperbound version to be of such low quality, as compared to the lacquered photos in the hardbound edition. Since then, I’ve added 11 other Porter titles to my photo book ‘library’ (I don’t have everything…yet) in several of which he wrote extensively, sharing his history, inspirations and photographic insights. (Ansel Adams, similarly came to OKC in the ’80s, for an exhibition of his works at the Cowboy Hall, which I also attended). Porter’s book “Appalachian Wilderness – The Great Smoky Mountains” –also autographed– contains many of my favorites of his inspiring ‘intimate’ nature landscapes.

In terms of safety it is important to understand that waves come in different sets so a very large sneaker wave may be the 5th wave in the 3rd set of waves. Important to know this when the surf is going so as to not get swept out to sea, or at the very least not to have your equipment drenched in salt water.

That’s so random, somebody just asked me about my filter system on Instagram!

I’m using the Haida adapter and filters for that lens. I find it’s easy to use, no light leaks, and true to the filtration ratings. This looks solid as well. It’s such a well-built lens, so it’s good to see another player in the game. Thanks man!

Oregon is absolutely beautiful and has some fantastic locations. Unfortunately if you tell the wrong people it can get completely trashed. Oneonta gorge for example. Trash everywhere and fish habitat is completely destroyed. It’s a very delicate balance between sharing and keeping it to your self. Such as this peak I’ve scouted out last week. I’ll definitely be visiting this place multiple times before the Instagramers discover it

I found this a very interesting read Dimitri, i nearly changed to a new system this year but decided to go for one more DSLR in the shape of the Canon 5D MK IV, while i was lugging all my gear around Northumberland last week, I thought about the article and wish i had gone for a mirrorless system now. Next time.

This is great advice, and timely for me. My parents are coming into town, and I’ve been thinking about hikes that have maximum bang for your buck in terms of scenery-to-physical strain. The Columbia River Gorge has a plethora of park and walk falls with minimal elevation gain. Thanks, Brian!

One question I haven’t found answered anywhere yet, is: can landscape photographers get a deep DOF with the GFX without stopping down so far it incurs diffraction and without needing to focus stack? I need someone with the 23mm to do some tests. Consider the classic near-far vertical this very magazine likes so much for its cover shots.

Hi Michael
Due to their great image circle, you can use all Canon TS-E lenses by using an adaptor. A bit of tilt will help enormously in keeping the aperture a couple of stops wider and have a great depth of field.

I just purchased a GFX 50s and the 23mm lens recently fro landscape photography and tested it for corner sharpness and DOF performance. The lens performs the best at f11 and f16. The resolution drops slightly at f22 due to diffraction, but the image quality is still outstanding and the lens can be safely used at f22. When focus is set at hyperfocal distance, everything is sharp from 1.5m to infinity at f16, and everything is sharp from 1m to infinity at f22. This is best medium format wide angle lens I have ever owned. I would like to note that it was not a scientific test.

I like this guy…he makes A LOT of sense when he says –
“Unfortunately, I have to say most of the landscape photography I see on the internet is way too artificial for my taste. Maybe I am getting too old to appreciate HDR-images and one minute daylight exposures of water. For me those techniques are effects rather than expressions. I also have problems with all the ridiculously oversaturated images I find on the internet. Who would appreciate an oversaturated human face? With nature, however, there seems to be no limit. I think this is an effect of an urge by many to make nature more beautiful than it actually is”

So true. Thanks for this very important article; always watch your steps 😉 I personally think, that photographing can be like hunting, just without killing anything. Though, if you are careless, you still harass some wildlife along the way, trampel sensitive flora etc. And, most important: do NOT leave any form of waste behind.. it’s no big deal to put the paper of your bread or whatever back in your rucksack. 🙂

Hello Vanessa
So far it has been downloaded by thousands of people. If you have a problem logging in and download, then it is best to use the contact form and our staff will do their best to help you with your problem.

I’m from northern Minnesota and do a lot of deep cold photography, often below 0 Fahrenheit and along Lake Superior. There are a few useful things that I’d like to add…

First, the article doesn’t mention the importance of not allowing your camera gear to condensate when you bring it back inside. This can fry the internal electronics and potentially cause other issues. Basically, it’s very important that everything warm slowly so as to prevent internal condensation (think coming in from a cold day and having your glasses fog up). I’ve found the best way to do this is just make sure the camera stays inside the camera bag (don’t open it) and allow it to warm very gradually. This can take the better part of the day if your gear was frozen to the bone. I also remove the battery when I’m done shooting before I head back inside, as an extra precaution. Doing this I’ve never had an issue. Some people take it a step further by putting their camera into a ziplock bag, though I’ve not found it necessary because my bag is rather thick.

Often times I find the best images are made by standing in water. Of course, this could be quite uncomfortable, if not downright dangerous in deep cold. As a solution I have a pair of insulated hip waders, which both keep out the water AND the cold, at least for long enough to stick around through the golden hour. They’re the type with Thinsulate insulation inside and thick waterproof neoprene on the outside. Hunters and fisherman often use these in colder climates, so they can be found in many outdoor gear stores. I purchased mine at Gander Mountain. Make sure you get a pair large enough to accommodate any clothing you plan to wear, including thick wool socks and possible the adhesive toe warmers, which go so well with their hand warmer counterparts!

I also second the mentions of hand warmers, and the combination of glove liners under finger-less flip-open mittens. I often put my hand warmers right inside the flip-open portion of the mittens.

I just downloaded your jpeg files (was hoping they were RAW) for a look and wondered if you were using the newer camera RAW profile for the 5DSr (Adobe Standard V2). V1 was terrible and the update has made a major difference to image quality. The blacks and shadows look crushed and midtones over saturated in the V1 very much like in your example files (and compared to the 5DIV examples). There was something wrong with the contrast curve in the first version which made the files difficult to work with from the start.

Also, some lenses were made to be sold in the US, and others were made to be sold elsewhere in the world. Some factory authorized service centers in the U.S. are forbidden from repairing any lens which was not intended for sale within the U.S. That means you have to ship your lens overseas for service, with wait times in the months. So check with the buyer.

Pro, prosumer or weekend warrior?
All should take a close and serious look at Sliks offerings. They are an often overlooked tripod in the market and shouldn’t be. SLIK Tripods are a solid and practical choice.

There is a significant weight penalty when you add in the weight of medium format lenses to that of the camera body. When a full range of lenses does become available they will be heavier and more expensive than their 35mm or full frame DSLR counterparts.

People moved from medium format film to 35mm when the quality of the emulsions and the optics made the latter as effective for making large prints using an enlarger. With the Nikon D810 and its 36MP sensor many fine art photographers switched over from 4×5 sheet film for the same reason.

I can easily surpass any medium format digital camera by taking 3 shots with the shift on my tilt shift lenses and my D810 to create a 90MP image with simple stitching.

I can’t say how much I love Italy. It’s the true definition of a cultural experience. The hills of Tuscany are amazing. Every village is a new experience. And the photography opportunities are endless. Panzano in Chianti

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I love that you are giving the big boys a run for their money and on some functionality actually causing them to pause, Had a play with your new med format, very nice, and glad you are no longer swamping the market with cheap crap. well done Fuji, about bloody time!

I totally get that. Wildlife photographers can be exactly the same, harming and scaring the very animal they so proudly present in their photographs later on. It saddens me as much as it does the author and I really feel exactly like he does.

A similar situation occurred to a friend of mine, only it didn’t involve photography. He had gone fishing at a small lake with a concrete dam. The dam had two arms about 30 feet long that stuck out into the lake about 40 feet apart. Fishermen were strung out equally along the dam and both arms. Fishing was excellent. They only had to cast out about 10-15 feet and no one interfered with anyone else. A couple of guys in a boat had been watching all the catches and had decided they wanted a piece of the action. They pulled their boat up near the dam and dead center between the arms. The fishermen on the dam started yelling at the guys in the boat that they were interfering with their fishing. They were ignored. After a few minutes, the guys in the boat started noticing fishing lines with large tackle being cast in their direction and eventually crossing over and into the boat from all sides of the dam. Apparently, something in the boat got hooked and yanked into the water. Finally fearing they would get hooked, the boaters back their boat out to raucous insults at their being so selfish and inconsiderate. Perhaps a new piece of equipment you should carry should be a rod and reel.

I’ve had five Nisi filters. IMHO they are the best. If anything they tend to produce ‘warmer’ images. On the negative side I broke two of them and at £130 a throw its a bit costly to replace hence me replacing them with Lee filters.

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Used to have access to the wide format Fuji camera and that was awesome so I am sure this will be just as awesome too and I would be so proud to own one.

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This combo Fuji X-T20 and 18-135mm is my dreamteam. I was thinking of leaving the Nikon DSLR camp for the high quality of the mirrorless camera’s and lenses of Fuji …. but that price is quite steep for me. But wow this offer is heaven made 🙂

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I downloaded the detail comparison images and am somewhat puzzled as to how the 5D4 is SO much better than the 5Ds! Based on those images, I’d buy the 5D4. The Fuji is only slightly better. However, I can’t believe the 5Ds is so much worse than both!!! ???? Thanks for your review.

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It would be quite interesting if the comparison had included the Sigma Quattro H, which also has a 50+ Megapixel sensor (Foveon), using Sigma glass. I think this is also designed for studio/landscape photography and is mirrorless to boot. Perhaps one day you’ll be able to take all three to a suitable location.

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Would love to take your camera to new heights , with me on Kanchenjunga the third highest mountain in the world in a few weeks in Nepal.

The analogy between painting and photography does not really hold. A painter is capturing their interpretation of what they see using their chosen media and has infinite freedom to express themselves DURING the process. A photographer, on the other hand, has much less control over what they capture, as it is their camera’s sensor or film that is recording a scene, and many people expect a photograph, especially a colour one, to closely resemble that which was seen through the lens. Photography’s strength is its ability to accurately record the world, however, in terms of art, that is also its weakness.

Deviations from what the viewer considers to be within the bounds of realism are viewed with suspicion when is common knowledge that images can be so easily hugely altered by the quick move of a slider. The digital age brought in great power to manipulate images but of course that comes with great responsibility and it’s not hard to find examples where that responsibility, it could be argued, has been abused. As a prime example, ramping up the saturation to produce social media-friendly eye-candy might garner lots of attention but simply labelling it as “self-expression” might draw scepticism from a more discerning viewer.

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Are you kidding? Why pay $10k to 15k for a GFX kit when you could get essentially the same results using the 5DM4 or 5DSR — for a LOT less money, and have many more optical options regarding lenses?

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Are you kidding? Why pay $10k to 15k for a GFX kit when you could get essentially the same results using the 5DM4 or 5DSR — for a LOT less money, and with WAY more optical options regarding lenses?

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shadows was the surprise after downloading the files and pixel peeping the hell out of them on a 4k monitor. Very impressive in that regard, file quality looks wonderful.

I´m a 5DIII (5DII before) user for many years, with macro (100mm) and super-macro (MP-E 65mm) Canon lenses and classical manual only Zeiss lenses (35mm/85mm).

Looking for an upgrade to improve DR and forget the problems I had for years with noise and banding while editing my Canon RAW files. Also looking to improve detail destroyed by the usual AA filter and I need more megapixels in order to produce bigger digital negatives at 360 dpi for contact printing.
My first thought went to the 5DSR but I didn´t upgrade because even if there is no AA filter and a lot of megapixels, the DR and noise aren´t solved on that camera… .-(

I downloaded your images; my impressions:

1. Detail:
Best retail: 5DIV. This is a surprise for me as this camera uses AA filter.

2. Highlight recovery:
Again a huge surprise because the Fuiji shows more banding (in the upper dark corner of your room) than the 5DIV. Both show very similar results. The 5DSR is really bad with ugly and heavy banding (as usual with Canon sensors) and crushed colours; very unnatural.

3. Shadow retail:
The Fuji show the most pleasing results (more natural?). But the 5DIV is as good as the Fuji if you do not show them side by side. Both good but different.
The 5DSR is really ugly with lots of chroma noise (I´m so tired of this ,-( with Canon cameras).

4.ISO
Not a problem to me. I don´t use high ISO and if I use a bit high I never go over 800/1600.

I was considering the 5DSR for my needs, but the 5DIV is a nice surprise.
I´ll loose 20 megapixels but I´ll have very good DR at last.
I´ll keep using an AA filter but it seems a very weak one.
I don´t care about video.
Canon ergonomics, menus, etc; are the best, for me.
I like the whole Canon system with lenses for any job.

The Fuji looks like a nice camera/system but it´s twice the price of the 5DIV and more than twice with lenses (less options too). I don´t see twice the quality in the files. I expect better with RAW files and not with Jpegs, but… it´s a much more expensive system even if it is the most affordable MF system at the moment.

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No way to enter competition, no form to fill, llooks like this is a way to gather likes and shares to the page.

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Thanks for such a nice info. I will try my luck next time.Last time i recovered photos using Stellar Phoenix and it was also a nice experience. http://retrievephotos.com/

I, personally think there is little in this universe that is not “extraordinary.” Including what may be just outside our front door. It’s more about “how” you see things than what is there. Two people will pass by the same subject, one will not even notice, another will create an “extraordinary” image. Look at VanGogh, Cezanne, Vermeer, Weston, Porter, and others, wonderful images of so called “ordinary” people and/or things.

I have to say there are some points in this article that I disagree with. ‘The UK has other national parks that offer more satisfying subject matter’ – Not more satisfying at all, simply different and I think it’s wrong to describe Dartmoor as being a lesser location in this way. ‘What I needed was a new project with a subject very close to home which had been neglected by photographers for far too long.’ – It’s certainly not an area neglected by photographers at all, there are many, very good photographers who use it regularly and use it well. ‘It’s a myth amongst local photographers that Dartmoor is difficult to photograph. But isn’t every subject difficult to photograph if you don’t understand it.’ – No, you can understand something very well but still not be able to portray it in the way that you want to for a time. Writer’s block for example isn’t due to a writer not understanding their subject matter, it’s a stumbling block on how to proceed.

I received an email saying my image was featured in the winter wonderland gallery but I don’t see my image in the issue.
Apparently there is a supplement to the magazine but this is the page the supplement link came to.
Any help as to how to obtain a copy of the supplement and where a Kristen Westlake image is appreciated.
I am usually quite tech savvy so I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.

Hello LPM team,
Thanks for the reply, but the only “form below” I can see is the Newsletter subscription form at the very bottom of the page – and I have already completed that and submitted it today.
There is no other “form below” on the web page. Thanks, Clifford.

Below the picture you can find the editor’s remarks. Below that there is a form titled ‘Free Download’. In there you can add your name, country and email address and click SUBMIT. If you cannot see any of this, then you have a serious problem. Are you using any kind of ad blocking in your system?

Another piece about monochrome which is nice to see. It’s often the case when interest wanes in a particular area that promoters look for a change to reignite enthusiasm.
It’s happened before in relation to the use of colour in social photography. After the many years when there was only monochrome the introduction of reliable colour printing gave a commercial boost to the market. Twenty five years on with the market stabilised a change was required and people who had only known colour were introduced to ‘Silvertones’, Black and white by another name.

Black and white never went away it was only resting. Monochromatic images are often the most successful even in colour.

Before colour was available flowers were still a favourite subject. With relatively slow materials flowers did not move much allowing a leisurely approach.
Not being able to show any colour viewpoint, lighting and creative camera work was necessary. When using a chromatic film, colour filters could be used to control tonal values. Digital conversion from colour can now be controlled in a similar way in monochrome pallets.

Many thanks Mr. Vasileiou for a very insightful article. I’ve been looking at many different Manfrotto tripod heads and couldn’t find many around this price that seemed like they would be straight forward to get them level. This seems to do the job!

It’s all good advice and it’s all true. As a well retired professional from a different era it appears that little has changed. Similar advice was around before the 1960s.
Even then many part time photographers dreamed of becoming professional, only a few were prepared to do the necessary work.
Now taking photographs and distributing them is easier than ever which makes more people think how nice it would be to swan around the world with a camera. Dream on just as they did then..

Sadly for many photography is now so easy it has little value especially monetarily. There was always a problem among practitioner about how much a photograph was worth. As the article suggests pretty pictures are legion and being able to create a silk purse from a sows ear may be worth paying for. Transforming a dull subject into art is a skill that takes time to learn, and teaching how can be more lucrative than trying to do it. I know as I have done both.

Take care with education especially self education as this can take longer and lead you up many blind alleys. A more formal course based on proven principles can save much time and help you decide where to go next. It is not always the case that one who is considered a ‘good’ photographer will be the best instructor as teaching is a skill in itself.

Hi, I just read your article. There are a lot of beautiful places in my country! Another highly recommended place in our Patagonia Argentina is the city of Puerto Madryn, from which start different tours to admire the great diversity of marine wildlife that lives there.

I see, that’s to bad. I have heard very mixing thoughts about how the Nisi polarizer performs. But I do like the functionality of the polarizer with the filter holder.
Thanks for the info and a good review!

I have been using the NiSi range for about 12 months and found them to be excellent (and very easy to clean). I originally tried using my Lee holder but found the NiSi 100x150mm filters would quickly slide out, being much heavier than the resin filters. Could not tighten the Lee holder sufficiently to hold the NiSi filters.

Not convinced with the NiSi circular polarizer however that ships with the foundation kit. Prefer my Lee CP, which means I’m forced to use my Lee holder and therefore Lee grads any time I want to use a polarizer.

Thanks Allan for a wonderful article. Photographic projects have been on my mind for a long time, but I have never gotten around to actually focusi in one specific project . I’m an outdoor person that loves nature, and my vision is formulating around such a project. Your article has given me direction and the desire to get off my duff and just do it.

I have always been interested in the natural world, from parks in Kenya, to birding, to working and volunteering for the RSPB, Wildlife Trusts and our National Parks for well over 45 years now.

Landscape photography for me is part of my overall love for nature, whether it’s just a sliver of light skimming over the meadows of the Dales catching the call of the Curlew and the flash of Oystercatcher; or the breath of silver light linking Hebridean Islands.

I’m not an artist, I love recording what I see,

To quote The Bard;

Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

I love the silence and the noise of a landscape, trying to capture the essence of the wind in movement of grasses, trees, waves.

I am a traveller, a nomad, I am part of the landscape and it is part of me and sometimes I press the shutter.

Nice essay. Being hungry is also very important. It gives you the necessary motivation to overcome obstacles and competition. In my situation it was the main factor. If I had not been hungry, meaning I had no other choice but make it work, I would not have been successful.

Thank you for this. When it comes to art, I think that it needs to stand on its own two feet. I don’t see the inherent demand for it to serve anything beyond itself. Having said that, I am a person with fundamental values that transcend my art. And for me, they are clearly more important than my art. My goal in life is to embody kindness and compassion. I seek to have everything that I am and everything that I do to flow out of that. Thus, I personally seek to use my art in the service of kindness and compassion. For example, a few years ago, I had a friend (although not a close friend) who was dying of cancer. I asked for his permission to every day send him a photograph that I hoped would bring beauty and joy, and hopefully, some dimension of healing to his life. I learned from his closest friend that doing this accomplished just what I hoped that it would. Does art have the prerogative of demanding this kind of behavior. My answer would be, No. But does who I am when I am the best of who I am demand it, Absolutely.

I have been practicing every week when I get time from work. So far I have made a couple thousand images, and I am not happy with very many of them. But I love the process, the calm and creative place that I go to. I have improved, and will continue to. I look forward to more learning from Kathleen, and am saving up for my next Lensbaby!

I’m taking ownership of the nuances 10 stop filter today and looking forward to putting it through it’s paces shall we say. Having had recent issues with other brands, I’m looking forward to getting back on track with photographing what I love best 🙂

Easily entered. Cannot see how so many people are confused. Fill in name, email address, country and flickr address and click enter. Surely everyone in this day and age have at least one out of flickr, Facebook, 500px, own website etc?

I will admit that I was wrong happily but what I did say in my reply that I knew wouldn’t be published is that you basically have to be a pro to enter or have to have a website which I have neither so it is a selective give away.

The reason we did not publish your other comment is because you were being sarcastic.

To answer this question, photographers of all levels can participate, all you need to do is to prove that you are a photographer. Even the absolute beginners these days have a Facebook page where they share their pictures with their friends and family.

INformation is vague. What does one have to do to enter the competition. I received notification of the comp direct from Sigma UK but it is very unclear what one is supposed to do to be in with a chance.

Thank you for the opportunity to expand my passion for photography! This package would definitely go to good use on the off chance that I win! Also, thank you for providing a wonderful outlet for photographers and viewers alike to enjoy the beauty that nature blesses us with!

No it is not using the hyperfocal distance technique, which I rarely bother with on wide angle subjects unless the nearest element is really close to the lens.

Instead I use the much quicker method of focussing just beyond the nearest element and then checking whether my guesswork is correct by using the DOF preview to check, and then adjusting if necessary. This works better for me, particularly if the light conditions are changing fast and there are only a few seconds to get the shot.

I agree about there being no shortcuts to good photography. My dad was a master photographer and he was one of the best in his field. He loved retouching negatives by hand and he printed his own color photos. He died doing what he loved. He was only 77. He knew that one day photographers would be less relavent and for saw many of the things we now take for granted.

Don’t overthink this issue. Art is art, and the medium is simply the means to convey it. One doesn’t become an “artist” when they pick up a camel-hair brush, they become a painter. Let’s let people choose the tools and techniques that work best for them as they express their ideas and visions.

Being both a pro photographer and painter I never wrestled with whether or not photography can be art. It can be but a point that is missing in this essay is intent.

Some photographs can transcend being simply documentary, but more often than not it is the original concept, statement or intent by the artist, that defines the image as “Art” (with a capital A) or not.

Both disciplines have artificial barriers and strata built in. I had an illustrator friend describe me in a phone conversation “just a photographer.” Then again this same artist would be considered only as an “illustrator” by the established Art community.

All this has become more apparent to me as I transition from the commercial world to fine art.

I have to agree with you. As a trained, but not very good, artist, I had a built in bias that photography was not, nor could it ever be, art. Things change. Now, I am a believer because I have seen photographs that can definitely be classified as art; even taken a few myself. In art, there are no rules. Guidelines and suggestions for a particular movement, maybe. I joined a local photography club and found that it was being run by a bunch of retired pros. They were the ones who conducted the critique portion of the meetings and wouldn’t you know it, they were hide bound with photographic rules. They knew their craft forwards and backwards. They were always spouting off about saturation, contrast, cropping, blur, and the almighty rule of thirds, but gave short shrift to all creative work. Oddly enough, they were the first ones to emphasize the fact that photography was art. In art, rules are meant to be broken. If artists had to follow these photographers rules, we would be stuck in a time warp. We would all still be doing cave paintings.

Ansel Adams ! Is this the most over rated name in photography? With the most adavanced digital cameras , softwares , Computers and printing technology available today , are modern day photographers still can’t reach what Ansel Adams have done 50 years ago ? Are those the best landscape photographs ever made??? Just curious ! Correct me if I am wrong !

“……I was very pleased with the crisp, clean results.” For $8000 the results had BETTER be crisp and clean :):). I agree with you on the preset aperture ring. I have a Pentax shift lens that also has a preset ring and it’s quite handy. Most of the more modern t/s lenses don’t have this useful device.

I’d really like to have this lens for my landscape photography.
I’ve read in some reviews, that once you get past f/4 with it, the pictures begin to degrade?
I’d like to know if @f/4, will you be able to get things, both in the foreground [fences/grass etc] and background [farmhouses/lakes in focus in the same shot??
Thanks for the review !

I have been asked by man to help him market his naive rawings and his poetry. He is not computer savy and lives in South Africa.
I have made several Artisan State photobooks for my grand son and thought it wauld be good to do somthing similar but in a glossy magizine format to send him so that he has somthing to take around to art outlets and show off his wares.
Would your format suit what I have in mind.
Thank you
Dr Jill Parris

One of the most beautiful photographs I have come across as a retired professional medical photographer. I loved the comment re: digital photographers! I am a traditionalist and ache for the sark room and the smell of acetic acid!!

While this article is nice, it is only the tip of the iceeberg and what is really important, and it concrns me just like it concers the author when people does landscape shots at f/22 (which is not a problem when your min f is 45 btw) is that the article is lacking of any example image of the effects of diffraction.

How can someone who didn’t knew anything about diffractionn properly identify it’s issues without any kind of visual reference?

I remember when i was studying optics and how difficult was to transport the abstract theory to the practical application, same goes here, those who first meet diffraction through this article have no visual references to identify it, not even an accurate description of what to look for.

Here is a quick answer. If your lens allows you to use aperture f/45 (I assume you are talking about full frame and not large format), then take a picture at f/5.6 and the same picture at f/45. Now zoom in 100% at the point where you have focused and you will see exactly what diffraction does, the f/45 picture will be a lot less sharp than the f/5.6 one.

Great article Deborah – you totally nail all the difficulties of SMM. The thing that really resonates with me though is the need to really try and engage with your audience – to have a ‘real’ relationship with them. Because of this I try to always reply to any comments left on my pages with a bit more than just a thank you, and to leave comments on others pages as often as I can, rather than simply liking. It’s hard of course, time is always against us – but I do think it’s better for all of us!!!!

After reading that Peter Lik was paid $6.8 million for a photograph even though he is top dog I dont think I will ever feel guilty about the price of a photograph especially when you think of what you had to go through to get the shot. Bookings, flights, airport taxes, long hikes, bugs, mud, freezing cold, scorching heat, etc, etc. Most of the shots are worth the money but the general public dont see this side of photography, photography to them is a day out somewhere nice where they can take a few snaps of the family.

I use the OM-D E-M5 more than a year.
This is an excellent camera !!!
Recent, photo I took with this camera won first prize in a prestigious nature photography contest.
The photo was enlarged to 90/140 c”m and exhibited at the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv.
(How can I send you a copy of the file that won?)